We make it to the nurses’ station, and I drop into the vacant chair. I make it a habit not to sit down when I’m on shift if I can help it. It’s easy to take a seat. The hard part is getting back up again.
I fold my arms on the desk and rest my head on them, taking steady breaths to slow the dizziness and nausea.
“What’s wrong with her?” Vicky’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard, and I groan.
“Think she’s catching something,” Ashley supplies with a steady hand rubbing my back.
“If that’s the case, you might not want to get too close. You’ve got two little ones who need you healthy.” See? Nurse Vicky can be sweet. “Now get. Your shift ended, and you aren’t approved for overtime when we’ve got enough staff on hand. Save it for when we need you.” Well, sweet to a point.
“See you, Diana. Hope you feel better,” Ashley says softly.
I force myself to take a deep breath and rise tall in my chair. “Yeah, I’m sure I just need something to eat. I didn’t have much for breakfast.” Which is completely true. Only a banana nut muffin, and that worked out of my system hours ago. Not that I haven’t been able to muster through on that alone before.
She gives me one last look-over and then heads out.
“You going to be able to finish your shift, or do I need to find someone to cover?” Vicky’s already looking at some of the patients’ files. I doubt she’s cast me more than a glance to ensure I’m still breathing.
I shake my head and stand. “I’m good.”
I take two steps, grab the trash can, and puke.
“Or not,” Vicky mutters, then leaves to go back to work.
Hopefully she’s calling someone to come in because I’m definitely taking a sick day now. I’ve never gotten sick at work before, but I should have known my luck would run out sooner or later. You don’t work in a petri dish of germs and not catch something. You’d have to be immune to everything for that to work, and I’m obviously not as I dry heave again into the trash.
Chapter 20 - Karter
“You sure you don’t want me to come by? I don’t mind. I would like to take care of you,”Iplead into the phone for the fourth time. When Diana texted that she got sick at work and headed home, I was already halfway to my bike before the next one came in that said not to come over.
I called her after that and have been trying to convince her that I’m not afraid of a little puke or even catching whatever it is. I’d rather be the one to take care of her than sit on my thumbs and just hope it all works out.
“No, seriously, I’m already feeling better. Might have been food poisoning or just a twenty-four-hour bug or something. I’m just going to take some Tylenol, drink a gallon of water, and pass out. I feel more drained than usual, so I’m sure I’ll be out all night. No use coming over just to watch me drool.”
“But you’re so pretty when you drool,” I can’t help but add, knowing it’ll make her smile.
“Shut it, old man. You know I don’t drool.”
“You do when my cock is jammed down your pretty little throat.”
“Karter,” she says in a way that’s supposed to reprimand me, but it comes out soft, like a breathless little moan, and has me thickening. Maybe it’s a good idea not to go over there after all. If I do, I’m liable to fuck her, and she needs the rest over my dick buried in her sweet pussy.
Damn it. Now I’m hard as a rock.
“Get some rest, Babygirl. Call me when you wake up.”
“Okay. Love you. Bye.”
There’s a pause on both our parts as her words register.
“I… I didn’t mean that. I was… I was just on autopilot. I say it to Nana. I… I wasn’t.”
I chuckle and let the warmth of her words flow through me. “Night, Babygirl.”
She hangs up after that, not even attempting to say anything else.
“Now what?” I ask the universe, but it doesn’t respond.
I’m outside my house, by my bike, with a boner and a happy feeling knowing my girl loves me. Even if it was a slip, it was a Freudian slip. She meant it, though it’ll take her some time to figure that out. And I’m perfectly fine with waiting her out.
